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There were many new additions in 2012 to the growing list of cocktail bars here. Bar 1919, Blue Box, the Brooklynite, Nao and Sustenio opened within months of each other, a sign that there's a growing demand and people's palates are evolving. Cocktalians have apparently been busy educating themselves about new flavors and becoming more discerning in their tastes. Meanwhile, local brewer Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling released a range of flavors in its small-batch series of four beers. There were many enjoyable drinks throughout the year. Here are a few that were ordered round after round.

The bar's namesake is a classic cocktail combination of Jamaican rum, lime, honey and bitters. When Jeret Peña and Adrian Sarabia opened the Brooklynite earlier this year, they decided to add a kick to the house cocktail by using super-strength 114 proof Smith & Cross rum. The complementary spice gives this cocktail a sneakily nice punch.

Sometimes a drink is so good, you don't miss the alcohol. Among the Salvadoran fare at Atlacatl is a refreshing drink, Ensalada, that's similar to an agua fresca made with pineapple juice and topped with finely diced fruits, among them strawberries, green apples and grapes. It's a great accompaniment to the fresh flavors on the menu, but it's difficult to not drink it all before the food arrives.

The cocktail menu at Sustenio offers a range of options from light to heavier. The Ginger Berry Bramble falls into the former category with a mixture of muddled blackberries and Domaine de Canton, a ginger liqueur from France. The balance of fruity and flavorful with a zing of ginger stimulates the taste buds and makes this drink is a wonderful apéritif.

In 2012, Freetail Brewing Co. greatly expanded its bottling efforts for some of its most interesting beers. One of the best is the Porto Gallito, a double red (originally the Red Rooster Ale) aged in used port barrels. Sporting a bit lower hop presence than a typical red ale, the flavors from the port, oak and sourness from wild lactobacillus form a wonderfully complex treat for the beer lover willing to try something new. Bottles are available only at the brew pub because of Texas beer laws.

While the food at the new restaurant at the CIA is unique in its own right, the consistently solid cocktails cranked out by Steven Raul Martín are among the best in the city. The bar debuted with proper versions of a caipirinha from Brazil and a pisco sour commonly found in Chile and Peru, as well as some house creations that quickly became favorites. The Spicy Swizzle stands out. It's made with rum, pineapple juice, habanero bitters and crushed ice and layers of subtle and more noticeable heat. It can be enjoyed layer by layer, or it can be mixed to maintain flavor throughout. Either way, it's a treat.